The Foreigners
by Lost to the Hoping
Summary: My name is Engel. I have two sisters, Irisse and Violet. Here we are, visiting England. It's troublesome, but at least life isn't boring anymore. OC FIC.  If you don't like it, don't READ it.


**The Foreigners**

**Chapter 1**

**London**

xXx

My name is Engel Niamh O'Floin. My eyes are green and my hair is bright red. My skin is pale, and I like to wear a lot of black. You see, a lot of people think that I wear so much black in mourning of my parents, but I wear it because it suits me.

I know what you're thinking. 'Black is for _mourning_, you silly girl!' Irisse, my older sister, tells me things like that a lot. She doesn't _know_ the reason I wear black. She just assumes it's vanity. Not everyone's as vain as her. Not that she doesn't have a _reason_ to be.

Irisse is tall, and pretty. She's got a tiny nose, blue eyes, fiery hair and fair skin. Where I have freckles, her skin is clear. I have morning breath sometimes, but she takes a mint before and after bed, so no one ever knows with her.

All the men want to court her. I always see men visiting her and doting on her. Irisse lets them, just to feed her vanity. It makes me a little sick sometimes. I keep telling Violet, our older sister and heir to our father's title and name, that she should keep better check on Irisse. Violet will just giggle at me and tell me I'm being silly. Or if she's being especially solemn, she'll say something like 'Now, now, Engie, let her be a child for a while longer'. It makes me sick.

Irisse is anything but a child. She's spoiled, and vain, and manipulative. Hell, I'd even go so far as to say 'cunning'. She's brilliant, to be honest. But the sad thing is that she never tries to _use_ it...

Oh, I'm rambling about her aren't I? Perhaps I should get to the point, then. Alright.

Our parents died when I was twelve. It was a horrible accident that left us in the care of our uncle Ian O'Ceallaigh for a year (until Violet had enough of him and dismissed him from the manor). After that, we mostly lived in seclusion, only sending servants from the manor for another six months. Finally, Violet decided it was time to rejoin society as mature young women.

I was introduced to society at my first party. I hadn't been before. Our father, Duke Roger O'Floin, normally waited until we were sixteen to introduce us. I, being as young as I was (thirteen, to be exact), had not had the opportunity yet.

I didn't much like society. It was frilly, and mean. I disliked the looks in men's eyes when they surveyed me on the dance floor. It made me uneasy, like they just wanted to eat me up...

Well, I avoided it as much as Violet and Irisse would let me (of course, they _would_ like society, the harpies). When I couldn't, I kept to the walls as often as possible, sitting down in shadowy corners when I could. Violet called me silly. Irisse said nothing, but her eyes told me she found it distasteful.

Finally, after another year of the same old boring life, Violet decided we needed to visit abroad. We had a townhouse in England, so we packed up everything we'd need (and some things we wouldn't) and left. It took us three days, but soon enough, we stood in the foyer of our townhouse, smiling in relief that the journey was over with now.

"Isn't it lovely?" Violet asked cheerfully. She was as radiant as ever in a gold-brown travel dress, black boots and white gloves. Her hair had been tied back with a black ribbon, revealing her pretty, clear face and lovely sapphire eyes.

Why was I the only one with freckles? Well, Violet had them, they just didn't show up unless she spent too much time in the sun. She never went out in the sun.

"Yes, lovely," Irisse replied shortly, setting down her bag (the only one she'd bothered bringing in). "CONNER!"

Within minutes, a redheaded boy stumbled into the foyer, shock on his face at seeing them. "Mahladehs!" he yelped, his accent as thick as always. Well, I remembered it being a little thicker before. Perhaps his time here in London had softened it. "Ya... Yer here! What're ya... I mean... Welcome!" He nervously dashed forward and scooped up Irisse's bag. "Ah'll have the help get yer remainin' bags," he promised with a short bow. "'Scuse meh."

I giggled as he departed, getting an annoyed glare from Irisse. My giggle quickly subsided as I flushed guiltily. "I think I'll go clean up in my room, then," I decided, just wanting to get away from my sisters for a little while. I started toward the stairs. "Maybe I'll go through my wardrobe and see if anything still fits me."

"Have fun!" Violet chirped, beaming. She departed toward the kitchens, as famished as I was. I'd have a maid bring me something, though.

"Wait," Irisse snapped, catching up with me and snagging my arm. Then she threaded our arms together and smiled. I wondered what she was up to, and she quickly answered my unspoken question. "How about we get cleaned up, changed and then go out into town? I don't really want to be cooped up, and if I have to spend the entire afternoon with _Conner_, I'll do something a lady shouldn't do. Like _murder_ him."

I couldn't help but grin (even though I knew it probably wasn't a joke). With a sigh, I nodded. "Sure. I'll do your hair if you do mine?"

"We _could_ have the help do it, you realize," Irisse replied haughtily, brow quirked.

I sighed again and nodded. "We could," I agreed reluctantly.

"Good then. Let us pick out some clothes."

xXx

And hour later, Irisse and I got into the carriage and went into the market district, where there was bound to be clothing to ogle and even perhaps buy. Violet had elected to stay home and survey the unpacking of our things before taking a rest. It was just as well. Whenever it was the three of us, Irisse picked on me a lot.

When we got to the edge of the market district, we dismissed the carriage, saying we'd hire one for the ride home later. Then we walked along, perusing the things we could buy. Irisse zeroed in on a beautiful heart-shaped locket with an engraving of two letters on the front, 'I.M.'

"It could stand for 'Irisse Mallory'," she commented, surveying it. "And it's silver."

I nodded. "It's pretty," I replied, eying a pendant of a rose.

Irisse noticed and snatched that too, then held them out for the merchant to see. "We'll buy these," she declared.

He grinned and bobbed his head. "Aye, Miss. That'd be five crowns, if you would, Miss."

Irisse quirked a brow, but fetched the money from the small bag hanging on her wrist. She dropped them boredly onto the table before him and turned away, handing me the pendant. I smiled and fastened it around my neck, admiring the way it glimmered in the sunlight.

When I looked up, I saw Irisse was wearing the locket as she searched amongst the merchandise for anything that caught her eye. "Thank you," I said.

She turned her eyes on me and gave me a tiny smirk. "Of course. Keep your ear open for any rumors of a party, would you?"

So that was what she was up to. I should have known. Sighing, I nodded and glanced down. I saw something shining in the dirt. Curiously, I crouched down and picked it up, heedless to the dust now sprinkled on my black-gloved fingers. "Oooh, a ruby," I murmured, straightening. I tucked it into my own purse and glanced up. Irisse had already moved to the other side of the street.

Rolling my eyes at how annoying she was, I started across the street. Irisse turned toward me, having noticed I wasn't with her. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth, calling my name. I hardly heard her. I'd already noticed the carriage barrelling down on me and froze in fear.

Just as it reached me, I was jerked backwards and out of the way, thunking into a hard, warm chest. I stared in shock as the carriage passed.

"You should pay attention, young Mistress," a soft voice said in my ear. "I wouldn't want to have to make you more _pretty_ after you're a smudge on the road, aye?"

I swallowed and jerked away, spinning around. Oh _great_. The town Undertaker. I'd only ever seen him once or twice around the town when I was younger. Never had I been this close to the man, and it was simply unnerving.

He was even eying my apparel with interest. "Oooh, black? Whom are you mourning?" he asked curiously.

I opened my mouth, but then Irisse was there, jerking me around and scolding me for being air-headed. "How could you? I told you to pay attention!" she snapped, shaking me. "What if you'd gotten killed, you silly girl? Get your head out of the clouds and grow up a little!"

I felt my face burning at the attention her loud voice was bringing onto us. Couldn't she be a little quieter? No, of course not. She had an image to maintain, after all. 'Concerned sister'... She was more worried about how _she'd_ look if she had let me die without doing anything. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean. Th-there was just a ruby in the road... I just... I'm sorry," I stammered after a beat, then bit my lip.

My eyes were burning, but I couldn't cry there in the street. Not with everyone watching like this. So instead I squeezed my eyes closed and took tiny breaths to calm down. I felt Irisse hug me, as if relieved for my safety.

She started talking to the _Undertaker_. Ick. "Thank you _so_ much, Mr. Undertaker," she said in relief.

"But of course, Mistress," he responded, voice amused. "I wouldn't want to have to prepare a funeral for the girl. It would be an awful thing..."

Irisse nodded and let me pull away. "Yes it would... Say, Undertaker, would you happen to know where there are any parties soon? We just arrived in town and I thought perhaps my sister would like one to cheer her up after such a scare."

The Undertaker chuckled as I turned around, still eying me with interest. "Why, certainly. Viscount Druitt is throwing one tomorrow night. They say that even the infamous Earl Phantomhive will be attending."

"Oh?" Irisse smiled at this. "I think it would be interesting to meet him. He's still just a boy, yes?"

"Yes... He's fourteen next week, actually. His fiance, Elizabeth Middleford, is throwing him a gala for the event," the Undertaker informed us, smiling at me.

It was creepy. _He_ was creepy. Uhg, I just wanted to get _away_ from him. I nudged my sister. "Irisse... I'm feeling ill," I lied, hoping she'd hurry this up.

She shot me a look, likely knowing what I was up to. But still, she smiled at the Undertaker and curtsied. "You'll have to excuse us. My sister and I need to return home so she can rest, what with the excitement she's had today."

"Of _course_," the Undertaker agreed. "I hope I was of some help. Next time, it will cost you~!" With that, he waved and vanished into the crowd.

Most of those watching had gone back to what they were doing, so I tugged on my sister's arm. "Let's go home."

"Fine, very well," she muttered, annoyed.

xXx

**R&R!**


End file.
